Shimano
Deore XT PD-M785
Pedal

Product Description

While lightness is always a good thing, there are a few places on the bike that deserve a look at function first. Perhaps you like more surface area than the standard XT pedals offer. These Shimano XT PD-M785 Pedals have an integral cage that gives you a greater area to hit when you have to "stab" at them in the heat of the moment. You'll also be able to count on more support for your foot as you pedal. If you ride in anything softer than uber-stiff carbon soled shoes, this is where you'll notice the greatest benefit.As usual, the workhorse XT parts get some trickledown from Shimano's flagship XTR line. The shape of the cage is very similar to the more expensive XTR parts; and at a glance, they look identical. The retention mechanism functions exactly the same. For your hard-earned dollars, there is no comparison for XT pedals. They'll always give you the best performance-per-dollar. The key difference is seen on the gram scale. XTR is significantly lighter thanks to their use of higher grade materials and subtle trimming of excess fat. And for this caged version, you'll gain about 30 grams per pedal over the standard-sized XT PD-M780 Pedals. Like all other Shimano SPD pedals, it's a two-sided design so you can have easy access with the stomp of your foot. The two-bolt SH-51 cleats (included) have 4 degrees of float to allow some movement in your ankle as you pedal. The Shimano XT PD-M785 Pedals are Dark Grey and have an aluminum body that relies on sealed cartridge bearings to spin on a plated chromoly axle. The retention mechanism can be adjusted on both sides to accommodate your preferred release tension.

User Reviews

Overall Rating:

Value Rating:

Submitted by
Marple200
a Weekend Warrior

Date Reviewed: December 28, 2014

Strengths: Nice build quality. Larger format frame.

Weaknesses: None so far

Bottom Line:

I bought a pair of these "slightly used" (almost new) at Performance Bike for $51 after all discounts and sales accounted for. Bought them for my new fat bike since the current weather doesn't require that I wear snow boots.
The larger format frame provides improved stand-on ability when you are not able to get clipped in right away. Adjustment is easy and overall performance is great.
I gave these 5 chilis for value because you can get them online now (Dec. 2014) for less than $70.

After 2 years of hating clipless pedals (because of multiple bad experiences on a road bike) I finally decided to try going clipless on my mountain bike.
I bought XT PD-M785 pedals and use Shimano Multi Release Cleats SH-56.
(note when you buy the M785 pedal they come with Single release cleats SH-51)
Used in a few rides on my daily commute to work and back... So far so good. Easy to clip on and off. Feels very efficient with the added power of the pedaling upstroke. I've got a big smile on my face.
My only regret is not buying the XTR PD-M985 instead.

Strengths: Easy to engage and get out of. Strong design. Pretty good at clearing mud.

Weaknesses: Fills with mud a little more than my Crank Brothers Candy.

Bottom Line:

I got these pedals to replace my Crank Brother's Candy pedals. I initially wanted to get another pair of Crank Brothers, as I love the mud clearance but ended up with these as my LBS didn't have any CB in stock.

On the initial ride, I noticed that these pedals are easier to click into, which is great after stopping just before a technical section or on a climb. I had to tighten up the release slightly to keep from popping out of the pedals and I find them really quick to get out of in a bind. I do notice that your foot doesn't float around in these as much as I was used to in my old set of Candies. I didn't like that at first, but am cool with it now.

They don't quite clear mud as well as my Candies did, but they are still pretty effective at clearing it out. I ride 3-4 times per week and have only once during this wet spring gotten slightly clogged. A few attempts later I clicked and and the problem was gone.

One huge advantage over the CB pedals is that I don't release when a mistimed pedal strikes down on a rock. I hit such a rock yesterday morning and was pleasantly surprised to finde myself still clipped in.

Have these on my Moonlander for summer riding. I haven't had an issue where my foot got stuck, which has happened on cheaper shimano pedals. I had hoped that the platform would help with power transfer like on a road pedal, but when you're clipped in these pedals behave like regular XT pedals... your shoes don't touch the platform. If you're not going to ride unclipped, save your money.

That said, I think they're great for fat bikes where the extra weight (+60g over reg XT) doesn't matter. I've used the extra surface area for sandy areas along the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers and they help a lot with control when unclipped.

I had the same bad experience that a reviewer from Switzerland had with his M770 pedals (same design as these, except without the outer cage). When I tried to remove them, the hex socket mounting bolt in the crank arm split. There are no external flats on them for putting a wrench on, only the 8mm hex socket studs that thread into the cranks. I have been a machinist for 32 years (27 of those years working in manufacturing) and have been building bicycles even longer than that, and I can tell you this is a very poor design, which is very unusual for an otherwise impeccable company like Shimano. These pedals were installed at the factory specified torque, and were only on the bike for about 11 months, so this never should have happened. I finally had to grind flats on the pedal shank so I could remove it with an open end wrench, thus ruining a perfectly good pedal.
Shimano design engineers really dropped the ball on this one. (PDM-780 is the same design as well)

Great pedal with a nice sized platform for riding clipped in or out. I've hammered these pedals on some trail boulders and they've held up really well. They spin fast and are pretty light. Definitely my favourite upgrade on the bike.

Strengths: Easy and smooth to clip in and out, cage is nice for deflecting rocks and allowing you to pedal easily while unclipped

Bottom Line:

Great pedals, definitely worth the money. I bike very hard and vast, going about 15-20 miles averaging around 13-15mph through mountainous areas and these pedals have stood up to the test. I have smashed them on rocks and trees and while the paint has scratched in places, there has been no performance altering damage. I used to used the XT's without the cage on them and I have to say if you are going on trails where you need more than 100mm of fork travel, then definitely get these. There have been many times where I have unclipped in a sketchy area and the cage has worked great but they do not feel bulky like those with a platform around them. No maintenance has been required so far besides hosing the dirt off after a ride. These clear the dirt out very well during a ride and never have caused me problems but I like to clean them afterwards to keep them in good condition. Bottom line-buy these if you are looking are this type of pedal.

Good pedal for xc / trail riding offering good protection. I'm a weekend rider but these are worth the investment to get something with a little more protection especially if you ride in rocky/technical areas